After twenty years as the BBC’s director of music, Sir Adrian Boult was unceremoniously ‘retired’ by the corporation in 1950. Still in the prime of his career, Boult continued to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra as its chief conductor, but meanwhile began to make commercial recordings for English labels such as Decca and Nixa, enabling American audiences in particular to hear a conductor previously confined by and large to his own shores, and in top-of-the-range studio engineering.
While Decca capitalised on Boult’s reputation as a master of English and choral repertoire, with a pioneering Vaughan Williams symphony cycle, mono and stereo versions of Messiah and much else made available in the two companion boxes on Decca Eloquence, the label also took advantage of his easy relations with many of the great instrumental soloists of the day. At the BBC Proms and elsewhere, he had made music with the likes of Alfredo Campoli, Mischa Elman and Sir Clifford Curzon for decades, and there is a special familiarity and ease of communication about their concerto recordings together. Boult also partnered exciting younger virtuosos such as the pianists Peter Katin and Friedrich Gulda, always attentive and dynamic in partnership. The new box brings together both mono and stereo-era versions of Dohnányi’s once-popular Nursery Variations and Rachmaninoff’s Paganini Rhapsody in which Boult strikes up an intuitive rapport with Julius Katchen.
Boult’s very versatility told against him: sometimes viewed then and now as a good all-rounder, he loses nothing to the competition for authentically Russian fire and balletic grace in symphonies by Tchaikovsky (the Third – appearing her in stereo for the first time) and Rachmaninoff (the Second and Third, repatriated from RCA to Decca). Prokofiev suites are infused with wit and pungent orchestral colour. And whichever orchestra he was conducting, Boult elicited the best from them with collegial authority – even the very French-sounding winds of the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra. This ‘original covers’ box restores the recordings to their LP couplings and features a new essay on Boult by Nigel Simeone.
CD 1
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827)
1–3 Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
Ruggiero Ricci, violin
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 2
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN (1810–1849)
1–3 Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11
Arranged by Mili Balakirev
Friedrich Gulda, piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 3
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921)
1–3 Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 33
ÉDOUARD LALO (1823–1892)
4–6 Cello Concerto in D minor
Zara Nelsova, cello
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 4
MAX BRUCH (1838–1920)
1–3 Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26
HENRYK WIENIAWSKI (1835–1880)
4–6 Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22
Mischa Elman, violin
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 5
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
1–3 Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35, TH 59
Mischa Elman, violin
London Philharmonic Orchestra
4–7 Suite for Orchestra No. 3 in G major, Op. 55, TH 33
Pierre Nerini, solo violin
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 6
FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809–1847)
1–3 Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, MWV O14
MAX BRUCH (1838–1920)
4–7 Scottish Fantasia, Op. 46
Alfredo Campoli, violin
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 7
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
1–5 Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29, TH 26 ‘Polish’
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 8
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
1 Ouverture Solennelle ‘1812’, Op. 49, TH 49
2 Hamlet – Fantasy Overture, Op. 67
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 9
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943)
1–3 Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 1
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY (1840–1893)
4–5 Concert Fantasia in G major, Op. 56, TH 61
Peter Katin, piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 10
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943)
1–3 Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18
CÉSAR FRANCK (1822–1890)
4 Variations symphoniques, FWV 46
HENRY LITOLFF (1818–1891)
5 Scherzo (from Concerto Symphonique No. 4)
Sir Clifford Curzon, piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 11
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943)
1–24 Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Op. 43
1954 recording
ERNŐ DOHNÁNYI (1877–1960)
25–38 Variations on a Nursery Song, Op. 25
1954 recording
Julius Katchen, piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 12
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943)
1–25 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43
1959 recording
ERNŐ DOHNÁNYI (1877–1960)
26–39 Variations on a Nursery Song, Op. 25
1959 recording
Julius Katchen, piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 13
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943)
1–4 Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 14
SERGEI RACHMANINOFF (1873–1943)
1–3 Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44
NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV (1844–1908)
4 Russian Easter Festival Overture, Op. 36
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 15
SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891–1953)
1–5 Lieutenant Kijé – Symphonic Suite, Op. 6
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris
6–11 The Love for Three Oranges – Symphonic Suite, Op. 33a
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 16
GUSTAV MAHLER (1860–1911)
1–5 Kindertotenlieder
6–9 Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
Kirsten Flagstad, soprano
Wiener Philharmoniker
Sir Adrian Boult
CD 1
Recording Producer: John Culshaw
Balance Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 18–19, 22 January 1952
Original Decca Release: LL 562: July 1952, LXT 2750: November 1952
P 1952 Decca Music Group Limited
MONO
CD 2
Recording Producer: James Walker
Balance Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 18–19, February 1954
Original Decca Release: LXT 2925: May 1954
P 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
MONO
CD 3
Recording Producer: John Culshaw
Balance Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 24 November 1953 (Lalo), 1, 4 December 1953 (Saint-Saëns)
Original Decca Release: LXT 2906: March 1954
P 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
MONO (Saint-Saëns) ∙ STEREO (Lalo)
CD 4
Recording Producer: James Walker
Balance Engineer: unknown
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 21–22 March 1956
Original Decca Release: LXT 5222: July 1956
P 1956 Decca Music Group Limited
FIRST CD RELEASE ON DECCA
MONO
CD 5
Recording Producers: Peter Andry (Violin Concerto); James Walker (Suite)
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson (Violin Concerto); Kenneth Wilkinson [mono], Roy Wallace [stereo] (Suite)
Recording Locations: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 1–3 June 1954 (Violin Concerto); La Maison de la Mutualité, Paris, France, 7–9 June 1955 (Suite)
Original Decca Releases: LXT 2970 (Violin Concerto): October 1954; LXT 5099 (Suite: mono): January 1956, London CS 6140 (Suite stereo): December 1959 (subsequent stereo release on Decca’s ‘Eclipse’ series, ECS 766: February 1976)
P 1954 (Violin Concerto), 1959 (Suite: stereo) Decca Music Group Limited
MONO (Violin Concerto) ∙ STEREO (Suite)
CD 6
Recording Producers: Erik Smith [mono], Ray Minshull [stereo]
Balance Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 6–8 May 1958
Original Decca Releases: LXT 5453: September 1959, SXL 2026: November 1959
P 1959 Decca Music Group Limited
STEREO
CD 7
Recording Producers: James Walker
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson [mono], James Brown, Gordon Parry [stereo]
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 2–3 February & 13 November 1956
Original Decca Release: LXT 5297: March 1957 [mono]; ECS 636: February 1972 [stereo]
P 1972 Decca Music Group Limited
STEREO
FIRST STEREO RELEASE ON CD
CD 8
Recording Producers: John Culshaw (Hamlet); unknown (1812 Overture)
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson (Hamlet); unknown (1812 Overture)
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 11 January 1952 (Hamlet), 2 April 1952 (1812 Overture)
Original Decca Release: LXT 2696: August 1952
P 1952 Decca Music Group Limited
MONO
CD 9
Recording Producers: Michael Williamson [mono], Ray Minshull [stereo]
Balance Engineers: Gordon Parry [mono], Alan Reeve [stereo]
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 17–19 February 1958
Original Decca Release: LXT 5447: November 1958, SXL 2034: May 1959
P 1959 Decca Music Group Limited
STEREO
CD 10
Recording Producers: James Walker (Rachmaninoff); John Culshaw (Franck, Litolff)
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson (Rachmaninoff, Litolff); Kenneth Wilkinson (Franck [mono]), James Brown (Franck [stereo])
Recording Locations: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 27–29 June 1955 & 15 December 1955 (Rachmaninoff); 14–15 December 1955 (Franck); Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, UK, 14 December 1958 (Litolff)
Original Decca Releases: LXT 5178 (Rachmaninoff): April 1956; CEP 524 (Franck [mono]): July 1958; SXL 2173 (Franck [stereo], Litolff): January 1960
P 1956 (Rachmaninoff), 1960 (Franck, Litolff) Decca Music Group Limited
MONO (Rachmaninoff) ∙ STEREO (Franck, Litolff)
CD 11
Recording Producer: James Walker
Balance Engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 10 May 1954 (Rachmaninoff), 12 May 1954 (Dohnányi)
Original Decca Release: LXT 2862: July 1954
P 1954 Decca Music Group Limited
MONO
CD 12
Recording Producers: Michael Bremner [mono], Erik Smith [stereo] (Rachmaninoff); Michael Williamson (Dohnányi)
Balance Engineers: Gil Went [mono], Alan Reeve [stereo] (Rachmaninoff); Kenneth Wilkinson (Dohnányi)
Recording Location: Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 12 January 1959 (Dohnányi), 1 May 1959 (Rachmaninoff)
Original Decca Release: SXL 2176: May 1960
P 1960 Decca Music Group Limited
STEREO
CD 13
Recording Producer: Christopher Whelan
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson [mono], Roy Wallace [stereo]
Recording Locations: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, UK, 25–27 July 1956
Original RCA Releases: LM 2106: September 1957 [mono], VICS 1139: February 1966 [stereo]
First Decca Issue: ECS 594: April 1971
P 1971 Decca Music Group Limited
STEREO
CD 14
Recording Producers: Christopher Whelan
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson [mono], Roy Wallace [stereo] (Rachmaninoff); Kenneth Wilkinson [mono], Ken Cress [stereo] (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Recording Locations: Walthamstow Assembly Hall, London, UK, 24–25 July 1956 (Rachmaninoff); Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 9 May 1957 (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Original RCA Releases: LM 2185: August 1958 (Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov [mono]), LSC 2185: October 1958 (Rachmaninoff [stereo]); SB 2035: July 1959 (Rimsky-Korsakov [stereo])
Original Decca Release: ECS 573 (Rachmaninoff, Rimsky-Korsakov [stereo]): January 1971
P 1971 Decca Music Group Limited
STEREO
CD 15
Recording Producer: James Walker
Balance Engineers: Kenneth Wilkinson [mono], Roy Wallace [stereo] (Lieutenant Kijé); Kenneth Wilkinson (The Love for Three Oranges)
Recording Locations: La Maison de la Mutualité, Paris, France, 9 June 1955 (Lieutenant Kijé); Kingsway Hall, London, UK, 27–29 June 1955 (The Love for Three Oranges)
Original Decca Releases: LXT 5119: March 1956 (Lieutenant Kijé, The Love for Three Oranges [mono]); SPA 229: September 1972 (Lieutenant Kijé [stereo])
P 1956 (The Love for Three Oranges), 1972 (Lieutenant Kijé [stereo]) Decca Music Group Limited
MONO (The Love for Three Oranges) ∙ STEREO (Lieutenant Kijé)
CD 16
Recording Producers: John Culshaw [mono], Erik Smith [stereo]
Balance Engineers: Gordon Parry [mono], James Brown [stereo]
Recording Location: Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria, 17–21 May 1957
Original Decca Releases: LXT 5395: May 1958, SXL 2224: July 1960
P 1960 Decca Music Group Limited
STEREO
“Sir Adrian conducts it just beautifully. The piano, too, is recorded with unusual faithfulness.” High Fidelity, October 1954 (Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1)
“Boult sets out at once with an introduction of more varied character and this matches Gulda’s conception, which I think will please Chopin lovers more.” Gramophone, June 1963 (Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1)
“The burlesque character of Dohnányi’s imposing introduction is indicated in the performance so that the innocent theme naively played by the pianist gets its laugh … Splendidly done.” Musical Times, November 1954 (Dohnányi/Rachmaninoff – mono recordings)
“The Boult sound and fury, although slightly reserved, has been captured with impressive realism by Decca’s engineers in a recording that is notable for the excellence of the orchestral work.” High Fidelity, October 1954 (Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture)
“Really in a class by itself from the competing editions. Persuasive lyricism from the soloist, very sensitive orchestral leadership and gracious sound.” High Fidelity, January 1955 (Beethoven: Violin Concerto)
“A gentlemanly, lyrical performance. The work becomes more transparent in his hands and assumes a fresh kind of easy-flowing texture.” High Fidelity, October 1956 (Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2)
“There is no little appeal [in Tchaikovsky’s Concert Fantasia], which in his lucid, restrained, cleanly articulated fashion Mr. Katin brings out quite beautifully … Sir Adrian and the LPO provide first-rate collaboration.” High Fidelity, September 1959
“A great success – the unfamiliar orchestra has stimulated him to his best form … I particularly enjoyed the Theme and Variations in this extremely good and well-played performance.” Gramophone, March 1956 (Tchaikovsky: Suite No. 3)
“Curzon proves himself a great virtuoso … The whole thing is brilliantly recorded.” EMG Monthly Letter, May 1956 (Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2)
“Curzon stresses the delicacy of the pianism. This is a refined, classical performance … Boult gives him sturdy support.” High Fidelity, May 1961 (Franck: Variations symphoniques)
“A thoroughly desirable disc.” EMG Monthly Letter, May 1956 (Prokofiev: The Love for Three Oranges)
“[The Symphony’s] atmosphere is tellingly conveyed… and the quality of orchestral tone in this stereo version is very handsome.” High Fidelity, February 1966 (Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2)
“A most treasurable issue … [Flagstad] in wonderful form. She sings the Kindertotenlieder with great restraint but a restraint that does not conceal the underlying deep emotion.” Gramophone, March 1969 (Mahler: Lieder)
“One of the most compelling versions of the Polish Symphony around, the opening Allegro full of fire, the Andante elegiaco deeply expressive. The Third Suite features the superb violinist Pierre Nerini … the chattering Scherzo is more taut than on the conductor’s otherwise excellent LPO remake.” Gramophone, August 2020 (Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3, Suite No. 3)